Consenso Colombiano para la prevención, diagnóstico y manejo de condiciones trombóticas en pacientes adultos con COVID-19: aplicando el Marco de la Evidencia a la Decisión (EtD) GRADE / Colombian consensus for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of thrombotic conditions in adult patients with COVID-19: applying GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) Frameworks

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Abstract Recent studies have reported the occurrence of thrombotic phenomena or coagulopathy in patients with COVID-19. There are divergent positions regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these phenomena, and current clinical practice is based solely on deductions by extension from retrospective studies, case series, observational studies, and international guidelines developed prior to the pandemic. In this context, the aim was to generate a group of recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis and management of thrombotic complications associated with COVID-19. Methods: A rapid guidance was carried out applying the GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) frameworks and an iterative participation system, with statistical and qualitative analysis. Results: 31 clinical recommendations were generated focused on: a) Coagulation tests in symptomatic adults with suspected infection or confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection; b) Thromboprophylaxis in adults diagnosed with COVID-19 (Risk scales, thromboprophylaxis for outpatient, in-hospital management, and duration of thromboprophylaxis after discharge from hospitalization), c) Diagnosis and treatment of thrombotic complications, and d) Management of people with previous indication of anticoagulant agents. Conclusions: Recommendations of this consensus guide clinical decision-making regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of thrombotic phenomena in patients with COVID-19, and represent an agreement that will help decrease the dispersion in clinical practices according to the challenge imposed by the pandemic.

Cryptococcal meningitis presenting as acute flaccid paralysis: A case report.

Cryptococcus is a cosmopolitan fungus with tropism for the nervous system and a higher prevalence of infection in immunosuppressed patients. Neurological compromise caused by this microorganism mainly debuts as a meningeal syndrome (headache, fever, neck stiffness) with predominant encephalic involvement. In this report we present the rare case of a non-HIV patient with flaccid paralysis and peripheral nerve involvement due to crytpococcal meningitis. This is a 53-years-old woman, with a past-medical history of diabetes, who presented with dysarthria, unilateral peripheral facial paralysis, asymmetric ascending quadriparesis, generalized hyporeflexia and urinary retention. Neuroimaging was initially reported as negative for vascular or demyelinating diseases. Electrophysiological studies were performed, and acute flaccid paralysis of undetermined etiology was defined as a temporal clinical diagnosis. Cerebrospinal fluid molecular analysis confirmed the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gatti; posteriorly, antifungal treatment with amphotericin B and fluconazole was started. Polyneuroradiculopathy symptoms significantly improved over the in-hospital stay. In conclusion, spinal cord and peripheral nerve involvement by Cryptococcus is an infrequent cause of acute flaccid paralysis that should be considered in the differential diagnosis even in HIV-negative patients.

Pontine Warning Syndrome: A Chameleon of Ischemic Stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Crescendo transient ischemic attacks or "Stroke Warning Syndromes" consist of stereotyped frequent short-lasting episodes of focal neurological deficits. This is explained by intermittent hypoperfusion of the vascular territory of terminal arteries with insufficient collateral flow, presenting a high risk for subsequent infarction. Pontine warning syndrome (PWS) is a subtype of this atypical presentation of stroke/transient ischemic attack and is considered a challenge for diagnosis. CASE REPORT: We describe 2 cases of patients with PWS who were admitted to our institution. They presented acute neurological deficits that fluctuated during the course of their hospitalization; interestingly, this neurological worsening and improvement was associated with blood pressure fluctuations. In both cases, brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed an ischemic lesion in the paramedian pons due to basilar artery branch disease. No outstanding infectious or metabolic factors contributed to neurological worsening/fluctuations. These patients received standard medical care without IV-thrombolysis because of the presence of contraindications for IV tissue plasminogen activator. Permissive hypertension was promoted to achieve adequate perfusion during hospitalization. At discharge and follow-up, the patients showed partial resolution from their stroke symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: PWS is a diagnostic and management challenge for the clinician. Because of its low incidence, this syndrome has been underestimated and understudied. There is, currently, no standard treatment for this condition; however, it is paramount, during treatment, that hypotension/hypoperfusion be avoided, with the goal being asymptomatic normotension to permissive hypertension. The probable mechanism of disease is hypoperfusion due to basilar artery branch disease and perhaps cerebral vascular dysregulation in the affected area.

Plasma exchange therapy for a severe relapse of Devic's disease in a pregnant woman: A case report and concise review.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or Devic's disease is an autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating condition affecting the central nervous system (CNS). It was initially believed to be a variant of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the discovery of NMO-IgG anti-AQP4 antibodies marked an objective distinction between these conditions. Treatment of acute attacks is generally based on pulsed steroids, followed by long-term immunosuppression with azathioprine, oral steroids, and rituximab as first-line therapies. Plasma exchange therapy is indicated for steroid-resistant relapses. We describe a case report of a pregnant woman with a severe relapse of Devic's disease, initially misdiagnosed as MS, unresponsive to pulsed steroids, and who underwent plasma exchange therapy safely, with excellent clinical response and with no adverse outcome for the fetus.

Fibrilación auricular en pacientes con ataque cerebrovascular: experiencia en un centro de referencia del suroccidente colombiano / Atrial fibrillation in patiens with stroke: experience in a reference center in southwestern Colombia

Introducción: La fibrilación auricular se presenta como uno de los principales factores de riesgo para la presencia de eventos isquémicos cerebrales de origen cardioembólico, siendo cada vez mayor su prevalencia, especialmente por aumento de la edad poblacional. Este tipo de arritmia hace que sea necesario un tipo de prevención secundaria diferente a la realizada en otras patologías. Objetivo: Describir las características de los pacientes con ataque cerebrovascular isquémico (ACV) y su relación con fibrilación auricular. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo-retrospectivo de individuos con ACV isquémico. Se recolectó información sobre factores de riesgo para enfermedad cerebrovascular, presencia o no de fibrilación auricular y tratamiento recibido. Se realizaron tablas comparativas según la presencia o ausencia de fibrilación auricular. Se consideraron significativos los valores de p inferiores a 0,05. Resultados: Se incluyeron 246 pacientes con una mediana de edad de 71 años, la mitad de sexo masculino. Entre los factores de riesgo para ACV isquémico la prevalencia de hipertensión arterial (HTA) fue 73,9%, ACV previo 23,9%, tabaquismo previo 20,7%. La prevalencia de fibrilación auricular fue del 24,3%, siendo mayor en pacientes con falla cardiaca concomitante (OR 3,5 95%; IC 1,6-7,75; p = 0,000). Se observó menor probabilidad de fibrilación auricular entre los hombres (OR 0,49 95%; IC 0,26-0,92 p = 0,018). La dilatación de la aurícula izquierda estuvo presente en el 43,1% de los individuos con ACV isquémico. De quienes recibían anticoagulantes orales, 57% tenían fibrilación auricular. Solo 15% de los pacientes cumplieron criterios para realizar trombólisis. La mortalidad por cualquier causa en pacientes con ACV isquémico fue de 13,8% y en el grupo de fibrilación auricular del 16%. Conclusión: El ACV isquémico es una patología prevalente en nuestra población y aproximadamente uno de cada cinco pacientes con ACV presentan fibrilación ...

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is presented as one of the main risk factors for the presence of stroke of cardioembolic origin. Its increasing prevalence is particularly caused by the aging population growth. This type of arrhythmia requires secondary prevention compared to the treatment of other illnesses. Objective: To describe the characteristics of ischemic stroke patients and its relationship with atrial fibrillation. Materials and methods: Retrospective descriptive study of individuals admitted with ischemic stroke. Information of risk factors for cerebrovascular disease, presence or abscense of atrial fibrillation and treatment received was collected. Comparative tables according to the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation were performed. Values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: There were 246 patients with ischemic stroke. The median of age was 71 years and half were male. The prevalence of risk factors for ischemic stroke were 73.9% for arterial hypertension (HT), 23.9% previous stroke, 20.7% for smoking. . The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was 24.3%, being higher in patients with concomitant heart failure (OR 3.5 95% CI 1.6 to 7.75 p = 0.000). There were lower probability of atrial fibrillation among men (OR 0.49 95% CI 0.26-0.92 p = 0.018). Dilatation of the left atrium was present in 43.1% ischemic stroke patients. 57% of the individuals who were taking oral anticoagulants had atrial fibrillation Only 15% met criteria for thrombolysis. The all-cause mortality in patients with ischemic stroke was 13.8% and in the atrial fibrillation group was 16%. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke is a prevalent disease in our population and nearly one in five patients with ischemic stroke have previous atrial fibrillation or de novo diagnosed during the event. The mortality in this subgroup of patients is 16%.

Trombosis venosa cerebral, descripción clínica de una serie de casos en adultos de Bogotá-Colombia: a case series from Bogotá / Cerebral venous thrombosis

INTRODUCCIÓN: aunque la trombosis venosa cerebral representa una pequeña proporción de la enfermedad cere-brovascular, su incidencia y prevalencia se han incrementado en los últimos años. Este fenómeno se puede explicar por la mejoría en los métodos diagnósticos no invasivos y por el desarrollo de técnicas especializadas de resonancia magnética. Por las razones anteriores es necesario conocer las características demográficas y el comportamiento clínico de esta entidad en nuestro medio. OBJETIVO: describir las características clínicas y demográficas de pacientes con trombosis venosa cerebral y sus complicaciones en una población clínica de un hospital de IV nivel de Bogotá, Colombia y determinar los de factores de riesgo para complicaciones en la fase aguda. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: se analizaron historias clínicas de pacientes con trombosis venosa cerebral y se obtuvieron datos sobre aspectos demográficos, condición clínica y complicaciones. RESULTADOS: se encontraron 38 historias clínicas, 29 mujeres, 60,4% de ellas menores de 40 años. La trombofilia fue el factor de riesgo más común, con el síndrome antifosfolípido como causa principal, otras causas importantes fueron el embarazo y el puerperio. CONCLUSIÓN: la trombosis venosa cerebral es una enfermedad frecuente en la práctica clínica que afecta más a mujeres en edad fértil. Aunque no se encontró una relación estadísticamente significativa, las mujeres con síndrome antifosfolípido representaron el grupo con mayor riesgo de complicaciones. Se necesitan más estudios a futuro con una muestra de mayor tamaño.

INTRODUCTION: although cerebral venous thrombosis represents a small proportion of cerebrovascular disease, its incidence and prevalence has increased in recent years. This phenomenon can be explained by the improved access to noninvasive diagnostic methods and the development of more specialized techniques in magnetic resonance image (MRI). Also, it is convenient to know demographic and clinical aspects of this entity in our environment. OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to describe demographic and clinical features in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis and its complications in a cases series from a high complexity hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, and determine the association between risk factors and clinical complications in the acute phase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: clinical records belonging to patients with cerebral venous thrombosis were analyzed in order to obtain data regarding to demographic information, clinical condition and complications. RESULTS: 38 clinical records were analyzed, among which 76.3% were of female patients, 60.5% of which were under 40. Thrombophilia was the most frequent risk factor in which antiphospolipid syndrome represented the most common condition. Other important conditions were pregnancy and post partum period. CONCLUSION: cerebral venous thrombosis is frequent in clinical practice. In this cases series: female gender at childbearing age was the most affected group. Although we did not find statistical correlation, women with anti-phospolipid syndrome represented the group with most chance of complications. Further studies with a larger sample or big population are necessary.